This disclosure is directed to switch assemblies, and more particularly is directed to floating switch assemblies and methods for making the same.
Users can provide inputs to electronic devices (e.g., portable media players and cellular telephones) using many different approaches. Some known input components are conventional switch assemblies, which may include a stack up having a switch (e.g., a dome switch). As used herein, the term “stack up” is intended to refer to the layered components that form a switch assembly. Depending on design, a switch assembly stack up may contain several components. A conventional stack up of a switch assembly includes a dome switch having two leads that are soldered to a circuit board, and the circuit board is attached to a bracket. When the switch is pressed, an inner conductive surface of the switch contacts a contact pad on the circuit board to complete a circuit. The pressing of the switch can provide a tactile ‘click’ that enhances the user's interaction with the switch. In some cases, a cosmetic piece may be placed over the switch to form a button. In response to the user pressing the cosmetic piece, the switch is in turn depressed and contacts the contact pad thereby generating an input.
Conventional switch assemblies can suffer from a number of drawbacks that affect performance, assembly, and incorporation into an electronic device. These drawbacks can stem from variations in the stack up of the switch assembly. In particular, the stack up is susceptible to solder height variance, which can result in various height differences between the dome and the circuit board. In addition, height differences can also be realized in the circuit board/bracket interface (e.g., the thickness of the circuit board may vary). If the stack up height exceeds predetermined tolerances, then the switch assembly may not be able to fit within an electronic device it is designed to be used with, or the switch assembly may not function in its intended manner if it does not fit properly.
Accordingly, there is a need for improved switch assemblies that mitigate stack up variations.